The Bakoteh dumpsite is the largest of its kind in The Gambia. Located in the city of Serekunda, which is the country’s largest city, it is surrounded by densely populated communities, that have been exposed to a variety of dumpsite-related risks and hazards like harsh stench, dirty water that runs into the neighbourhood and uncontrolled fires with heavy smoke. Initially an open space with no fencing, the area imposed high risks to children and their families living on or close to the site, like Jankey’s, who struggled to fend for her family of 13.
Through a community strengthening program of SOS Children’s Villages, Jankey was able to scale up her ice making business and offer a variety of flavours like baobab, coffee, nana and kabba, a local fruit with hard yellow peel containing large seeds embedded in a yellowish pulp. She is now able to send all of her children to school.
Find out more about the work of SOS Kinderdörfer weltweit: VISIT WEBSITE
Team:
Story by Theresa Hirsch and Jakob Fuhr
Camera, edit, photos by Jakob Fuhr
